Already have the first series, including the 'wrap up' movie. Now I have to make budget plans for the 'Brotherhood' series when they finally put it on DvD, and they're still going strong at episode 38, so it's not going to be cheap.

...And Dad's x-mas money went towards the manga series (which should be here soon).

1) Why in gods name do they not use the animation in the opening sequences for the actual series?

2) Why do they keep changing the style (and each worse than the last) between episodes? And I'm sorry, but the rotoscoping method combined with melty face syndrome does not help.

3) Plot. They need a better one. Or they need to get to it sooner.

4) Music. Okay, guys...um...yeah. I like it...but it doesn't fit. The beginning and end themes anyway. The in-episode pieces are nothing to write home about.

5) WTH. Seriously. About all I can figure out is these guys were all dogs born to a human princess once before, they've rezzed, each of them carry a shiny little monk's bead from their mom, and...they're all dumb as hell and being used in some sort of...it's not even plot. The fuck?

In sort...not one of anime's better offerings. At least not in this form.

Funimation.com is running the newest incarnation of Fullmetal Alchemist on their site. It's apparently a more faithful adaption of the manga arc, especially since that's apparently finished now. I've watched eps 1-3 so far, and they're doing a rushed variation of the eps from the first series (I guess the original anime was accurate up to a point). Animation is a little different, and they let more humor in this time (Don't mind the animation, although I like the original series better. The humor breaks though...eh, I got used to the more consistently series tone. But I'll live), and of course, the stuff that was in the first series is being a little glossed over. But then, hopefully that means the 'new' material will show up sooner. Still, it's good, if a little odd to watch after getting the first series on DVD and watching it for the past year or so...

DVDs are not available yet, because the series is still running in Japan. The American team is working on dubbing as they get episodes though, and from what I understand, the whole original english cast will be in on it (not so much with the Japanese cast, though, from what I understand).

Anyway, Funimation is running subtitled episodes roughly a week after they air in Japan, and the newest is episode 37.

Watching is free. And the connection is pretty good; even on my crappy DSL the only time it's siezed up on me is when the phone rang (which is...normal. :P)

I'm not sure if I shared the beginnings of the birdsuit redesign or not, but here it is, plus a 'color sketch' (my fancy way of saying 'I'm messing with the colors, this isn't a serious attempt at art, kthnxbbai!'') of the ideas I have rattling in my brain.

A large, wild and crazy, definitely world-marking era is coming to an end with all the recent deaths. May she, and all the others, find peace, and may the rest of us continue to remember and learn from their examples.

Stayed up late to try and finally see what Full Metal Alchemist was about, especially since I haven't had any sort of new anime fix in about two years (mate is not particularly fond of it and I took advantage of her going to bed early to watch)...and it's not playing tonight.

RRrrrrrr....

Stayed up anyway to watch Gundam Seed, even though the original series gave me hives when I was younger. For once, I was slightly impressed by it...and then the frigging satellite box decided to have connectivity problems right at the Big Moment.